12 No-Spice Football Romance Books for Your Fall TBR

When recent widow Jenny finds her celebrity crush, billionaire Roman Bennett, on her front porch holding out a giant check, she slams the door in his face. But Roman won’t take no for an answer—when it comes to helping Jenny or winning her heart.

Jenny Abrams is a recent widow struggling to care for her two children while navigating her own complicated grief. What no one knows is that her husband had been cheating on her and they were on the cusp of divorce. When pro-football player Roman Bennett, known for his generous giving, shows up at her door offering to help, Jenny struggles with her pride–and her growing attraction to him.

Roman Bennett is Houston’s Most Eligible Bachelor and may stay that way, due to his demanding football schedule and the challenges of being a celebrity. But from the moment Jenny refuses his help, Roman’s life takes a turn in a direction he didn’t expect: falling for a woman with two children outside his normal social circles.

Can Roman and Jenny overcome the challenges that each of them bring into a relationship? Or will they give up before they can even begin?

Disgraced college quarterback Logan Hunt was on his way to NFL stardom when he messed up big-time. Now the Texas star player with a bad temper has a new Seattle’s EOL College—as in End of the Line, to his fellow misfit recruits. It’s Logan’s last chance. If he can follow the rules. No parties, no fighting, no swearing, and oh, no dating the coach’s daughter, Jess. Simple. Yeah, right. For Logan, there has never been a rule he’s more tempted to break.

The deal is “just friends.” The pretty, confident, and fiercely smart math whiz is fine with pizza, tutoring, and keeping Logan in line. But the closer Jess gets, the more receptive she is to his warm heart and spirit—not to mention his irresistible off-field passes. With defenses down, they’re both heading into the danger zone.

It’s more than thrilling. It’s love. It’s also a game changer that could sideline Logan’s NFL goals—and more important, a future with Jess. But dreams are worth fighting for, right?

Is it ever too late to leave the friend zone?

Hi, my name is Bree Camden, and I’m hopelessly in love with my best friend and star quarterback Nathan Donelson (so is half of America, judging by the tabloids and how much the guy dates). The first step is admitting, right? Except, I can never admit it to him because he clearly doesn’t see me that way, and the last thing I want is for things to get weird between us.

Nothing but good old-fashioned, no-touching-the-sexiest-man-alive, platonic friendship for us! Everything is exactly how I like it! Yes. Good. (I’m not crying, I’m just peeling an onion.)

Our friendship is going swimmingly until I accidentally spill my beans to a reporter over too much tequila, and now the world seems to think me and Nathan belong together. Oh, and did I mention we have to date publicly for three weeks until after the Super Bowl because we signed a contract with…oops, forgot I can’t tell anyone about that!

Bottom line is, now my best friend is smudging all the lines and acting very unplatonic, and I’m just trying to keep my body from bursting into flames every time he touches me.

How am I going to make it through three weeks of fake dating Nathan without anything changing between us? Especially when it almost-sorta-kinda seems like he’s fighting for a completely different outcome?

Send help.

XO Bree

He makes a living taking hits. She’s the one he never saw coming.

Declan O’Connell knows exactly who he star tight end, hometown hero, and a man who’s never been one to sit on the sidelines

Winona Carter knows exactly what she wants: a nursing degree, a steady paycheck, and time with her book club friends. She’s not interested in distractions—especially not the kind with a fan club that wraps around the block.

When Declan is injured, Winona shows up. She’s here to do a job. Nothing more.

But recovery has a way of slowing a man down and forcing him to notice the one woman in town who isn’t impressed by his stats, his fame, or his charm.

Now the clock is ticking, and all eyes are on Declan.
Will what they shared in private be able to survive in the spotlight?

Tangled with the Tight End is a forced-proximity, opposites-attract romcom, and the first standalone book in the Tennessee Thunder Football series. This story is a closed-door romance with kisses that will have your heart doing a touchdown dance.

She could be the one.

I’ve spent twelve years caring for my niece Maddie who I adopted after my sister died. Having a daughter has made me picky when it comes to the women I spend time with. Not to mention dealing with the pressure of being a college football coach.

But when I spot MJ at a mutual friend’s wedding, something draws me toward her.

My friend tells me to forget about her, but how can I when she becomes Maddie’s art teacher and our paths cross again?

I ask her out; she turns me down. Rinse and repeat. But I don’t plan on giving up any time soon.

My instincts are always right, and they’re telling me Meadow Jane Carter might just be my future wife.

One Last Play is an age gap, reverse grumpy/sunshine romcom for fans of sweet romantic comedies. It has all the sizzling chemistry you love, without any explicit scenes. Check out the fourth and final installment of the Sweet Peach Series, a four-book sweet romcom collection about best friends living in Atlanta, Georgia!

Sacrifice…is there any too great? How far would you go to protect the innocent?

Maggie is living from one day to the next and making things up as she goes. Her life is four kids and a whole lot of chaos, but the best kind. Two years ago, she gave up her dreams, and after a devastating loss, she may have to give up one more. With four kids depending on her and not a chance she’ll let them down, she’s about to learn just exactly how far she’ll go to keep them safe.

Shane just lost the only thing he’s ever loved – the only thing he was good at – the only thing he’s ever wanted. After a career-ending injury upends his life, he’s forced into a coaching career he’s not even sure he wants. Just weeks into his new position, he finds himself tugged back to a time he’d prefer to never revisit. Now, Shane’s left with a decision that could change everything. It’s the one thing he told himself he would never do.

I Got You is a touching love story that reminds us that when everything else fades…love stays.

This is a closed-door contemporary romance that still offers plenty of spice.

Can a pair of opposites come together to heal from past wounds, lay their secrets bare, and pave the way for a future full of laughter and love? Or is this Cinderella story destined for an unhappily ever after?

TJ Wilson, the outgoing star running back for the Green Bay River Foxes, swears he’ll never fall in love again…not after losing his college girlfriend. He’s content with a life of football and carefree dating. Nothing serious. No strings. No matter how much his teammates rib him for it. When a stunning, secretive woman all but begs him to show her a good time at his team’s charity ball, he’s the man for the job. If the shoe fits, after all.

One heart-to-heart and an almost-kiss later, TJ finds himself enamored with the bashful but brazen mystery Cinderella, and, against his better judgment, longing for more than the one night she’s offered him.

One night. Lucy Dupree, a secret author and media personality-turned-social pariah, promises her literary agent she’ll come out of hiding for one night. Just long enough to get inspired, overcome her writer’s block, and finish her manuscript by the deadline. With the help of her fairy-godmother landlord and a vintage wedding gown, Lucy attends the Green Bay River Foxes Gala where she meets TJ, a walking, talking prince charming.

The masquerade theme allows Lucy to conceal her identity, and TJ provides her with enough content to write ten romance novels. A win-win. She got what she came for, and that’s enough. It has to be. Because when the clock strikes midnight, the fairytale ends. Or is it just beginning?

First Down and Forever To Go is a soft and sweet closed-door romance with kissing only and no implied intimacy, perfect for fans of the opposites attract and friends-to-more tropes. This is the first book in the River Foxes Football Romance series. All titles can be read as standalones.

Pop sensation Lena Lux knows any publicity is good publicity, until one disastrous night leaves her with a charred reputation and a shattered heart. The fix? A fake relationship with Decker Trace, the arrogant tight end of the Vista City Kings.  It’s a long shot, but her publicist swears it’ll work—and if there’s one thing Lena’s good at, it’s putting on a show.

Decker Trace was ready to retire from football until his plans literally went up in flames. Which is why he agrees to a PR stunt with everyone’s current musical obsession, Lena Lux. Sure, she can come across as bratty and overdramatic at times, but every guy she’s dated has become insta-famous after their breakup, and that’s exactly what Decker is counting on.

After all, it’s not like they would actually fall for each other while pretending to be in love, right?

The Player and the Pop Star is a dual POV no spice romance and the first book in a planned interconnected series.

Sara
Everyone in Sugar Creek knows me as the girl with the fragile heart. I’ve worked my whole life to prove I’m normal, strong, and independent. And I thought I was until a simple illness knocked me down and reminded me I’ll never escape my limits. The worst part? I can’t bring myself to tell JD, the boy who’s been my protector since kindergarten and the man I’ve secretly loved for years. He gave everything to chase his NFL dream, and I refuse to be the reason he throws it away.

JD
Everyone in Sugar Creek knows me as the football star with a ticket out. What they don’t know is that every yard I’ve run, every play I’ve fought for, has all been for Sara Porter, my angel, the girl who once believed in me when I didn’t deserve it. Now the draft is almost here, and I should be focused, but Sara is slipping away. She thinks she’s protecting me by pushing me off. But I’ve waited my whole life to prove one no dream is worth having without her in it.

She blames herself for her dad’s lost dreams and won’t be responsible for mine, but I blame myself for not telling her sooner that she’s more important than a game. Can we speak our minds and share our hearts, or is it already too late?

THE SUGAR CREEK BLAME GAME is a small-town, sweet, best friends-to-lovers romance with medical and sports elements set in the Seasons of Sugar Creek world. You’ll see old friends and make new ones as you laugh, cry, and root for Sara and JD.

Austin Taylor, once an undrafted free agent and a third-string quarterback, was never supposed to be the starting QB for the Tampa Bay Bucs.

Except now, he is.

Dani Marshall, the Bucs’ data analyst whiz, is all in—betting her career, and even her car, on Austin’s success. The real challenge? Keeping her heart out of the game.

Austin

When the achingly gorgeous Dani Marshall shows up in my tiny Ohio town to sign me to the Bucs, I can’t say no. I expect to ride the bench in obscurity for my entire NFL career. What I don’t expect is to become the starting QB in my first month—or to end up as a viral GIF, tripping over my cleats.

Dani’s betting on me, but I’m starting to think her faith might be misplaced. The closer we get, the more her walls stay mile-high—even as I’m being pulled to her as surely as the moon pulls the tides.

Dani

Research shows that spending time together and sharing personal goals increases the likelihood of developing romantic feelings by 30%. (I will not be part of this statistic. I will not be part of this statistic. I will NOT be part… oh crap.)

After I sign Austin Taylor to the Bucs, I make it my mission to stay away from him—he’s too attractive for me, and, as an absolute rule, I don’t date athletes. Not after what happened last time.

But when I make a bet with my work nemesis over Austin Taylor’s performance, my car is on the line. Now I have to get involved.

The problem? The more I work with Austin Taylor, the more afraid I am that he’s going to steal my heart.

This is the first novel in the Sports in the Sunshine State RomCom, a collection of interconnected, clean sports romances, each featuring its own unique love story. While all books are linked, they can be enjoyed as standalones. You’ll enjoy high-action sports sequences and sizzling chemistry, with no cursing or smut.

I Just Married a Grumpy NFL Star with Rules, Walls, and Zero Intentions to Fall in Love.

I faint onstage and wake up trending, exposed, and unsafe in my own life.
My team offers a PR marriage to Camden Drake, an NFL star who hates attention more than I do.

He’s guarded, intimidating, and built like a wall meant to keep the world out.

We marry for optics, not butterflies.
The rules are simple and signed in ink.
No intimacy. No feelings. No mistakes.

Then come the staged dates and fake kisses.
Only his hands linger, his eyes soften, and nothing about them feels pretend.

And suddenly, I’m gone.
His smile makes my heart race, and his quiet support starts to feel like home.

That’s when old wounds resurface, and doubt creeps in.
By all accounts, our PR marriage is “successful.”

But if this was only ever a transaction, trusting him won’t just complicate our fake marriage. It’ll mean I fell for a man who only wanted me because I was useful.

Sweet enough to make you sigh, and clean enough to share with your grandma–no steamy scenes, no salty language, just sweet romance.

The day Brodie Kent kissed me was the beginning but also the end.

Heartbroken and angry don’t come close to how I felt when he left town, and me, to pursue his football dreams.

Fine. Good.

He has his life. And I have mine.

Except Brodie’s mega-star, hard-partying player’s flirty love life is all over the news and social media channels.

He’s pretty hard to ignore.

Annoyingly, his boyish good looks are on every screen and other people’s phones.

Then, years after Our Kiss, and out of the blue, Brodie is back in Oak River.

Cool. I can handle it.

I am not falling for his charms again.

But a teenage crush is a powerful thing, and perhaps Brodie Kent is not the guy in the gossip section of national news.

There’s another reason why he left town and stayed away.

Maybe I’ll find out when we’re camping alone together.

But wait a minute… There’s only one tent.